Improved spring bed-bottom



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEO CHARLES B. BRISTOL, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIM- SELF AND PHILIPPE KOCH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPRO'VED SPRING BEDr-BOTTOM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,574, dated June 12, 1866.

" following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction, character, and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the spiralspring bottom rest-ing in a bedstead, ready to receive the mattress or other bedding, duc. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the quadrilateral iron frame, with the spiral or helical springs attached transversely and the connecting rods or hooks in their places, so as to make the spiral-spriug bottom complete.

My improvement consists in making a suitable frame (with or without joints) to the sides or longest bars of which I secure the ends of the helical or spiral springs, and to the ends or shorter bars I secure the requisite number of the connecting` rods or hooks to hold or retain the helical springs in their proper positions to sustain the mattress, Src.

I make the frame of iron or any other suitable material, of a quadrilateral or quadrangular form, as represented at A and A', Fig. l, and at A andA and A' and A', Fig. 2, making the bars of a suitable shape and size to sustain the lateral strain to be occasioned by the weight of the person or persons in the bed, &c. For ordinary useI would recommend that the bars be about one and an eighth inch in width and about three-eighths of' an inch in thickness when made of iron. And, when 'thought best, I make joints in the side bars, A and A, as shown at B, Fig. 1, and at B and B, Fig. 2, so that the frame can be folded to half its size, when desired, for transportation or stowage, or so that the head can be raised for the convenience or comfort of sick persons 5 and, if found necessary, a curved brace may be iitted across in the central part, as from one joint to the other, curved sufficiently below the springs to prevent the weight or pressure on the springs from drawing in the two side bars, A and A, toward each other, which might happen if the bed should be overloaded or if the joints should work loose.

I make the spiral springs C C, Src., of steel wire properly tempered, or of any other suitable wire, by spinning or windin g it on a cylindrical rod or arbor, in the usual way of making spiral or helical springs, leaving a sufcient portion at each end to hook over theV side bars, as shown at c a, &c., Figs. 1 and 2.

When the coils or helicals are wound close, in the usual way, and properly tempered, I use pieces of from one-fourth to one-third of the length which will reach across the frame, and then stretch them out to the whole distance across, so that the wire will only occupy from one-third to one-fourth of the space, as indicated in the drawings, which causes considerable strain or tension on the springs; and I hook the ends of these springs over or around the side bars or rails, A A, as shown at a a, Src., Figs. l and 2. I thenconnect these spiral springs C C, &c., by wire rods or hooks, or their equivalents, as shown atb b, Ste., hooked into the spiral springs, or otherwise attached, so that no two will draw directly against each other, but so as to leave the springs free to eX- pand in all respects, as is plainly shown by the drawings, where each connecting rod or hook acts in the center between two on the opposite side of the spring, 85o.

Any number of these spiral springs may be used, so as to make the bottom as strong as desired 5 and as they hook around or into the side bars, A and A, of the frame, the springs may be changed in their locality on the bars, or an additional spring may be put on, to increase the strength of the part Where the greatest weight is to be borne, simply by varying the lengths of the connecting rods or hooks b b, 85o.

I would recommend that the spiral springs be made of steel wire, about No. 14, and that the coils or helices be about one-half of an inch in diameter and properly tempered, and

'in the central part of the bottom placed about one-halfl of an inch apart.

These spiral-spring bottoms may be readily fitted to any bedstead, cradle, or crib, and may be used for many other purposes; and it is believed to be far better than any spring-bottoni Where the spiral springs stand on their ends.

Wha-t I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the spiral or helical springs C C, 85e., when placed horizontally, with the connecting rods or hooks b b, &c.,

or their equivalents, and the frame A A and A/ A', when the whole is constructed, arranged, and tted for use substantially as herein described and set forth.

GHAS. B. BRISTOL. Witnesses:

E. W. BALDWIN, R. FITZGERALD. 

